Sandra Lee Would Love to Cook for Cher

You know her as the 'Semi-Homemade' guru of the Food Network. But Sandra Lee is much more than that.

In the third season of her second show, 'Sandra's Money Saving Meals,' Lee sets out to show you how to make good food on a budget.

Sandra chatted with PopEater about the upcoming episodes, exactly how she gets inspired and her passion project -- Share Our Strength's Great American Bake Sale.

"It was really important for me to launch off my third season with something that was meaningful that addressed something so timely," she explains.

If she could cook for anyone, who would it be? "Cher," she quickly replies.

And of course, we talk about cocktails.

Are you excited about the upcoming season?
I am very excited. It also kicks off with something that I'm very involved with and is very important to me. And I was fortunate to have everyone from Brook Johnson, the head of the Food Network, on down bless it and support it. That is, we're launching the third season with a Great American Bake Sale show. It's a bake sale show, but it's not just about sweets, it's also about savory baking, like ham and cheese pinwheels. So good.

Tell me a little bit about what you're trying to do with the bake sale.
The Great American Bake Sale is something that everyone and anyone can do. It's a national campaign for childhood hunger. It just kicked off this month. It is a six-month campaign; it will go until next fall. And what you do is you hold a bake sale in your community and then you donate the proceeds to Share Our Strength. You can go to ShareOurStrength.org for information. You can go for recipes. Basically, last year we had 12 million children in our country that were at a risk of hunger. This year, because of the economy, it's 17 million. This is our own country. We're not talking about third-world countries here, we're talking about America. So it was really important to me. I've been the spokesperson for Share Our Strength for three years. It was really important for me to launch off my third season with something that was meaningful that addressed something so timely. It was incredible to have the full support of the Food Network behind it. It was a dream and a blessing.

What kind of tips and meals can we expect this season?
Well, we just got done filming. This has been the best run for food and just for the show in general of any season that I've ever done – and I did eight seasons of 'Semi-Homemade.' It was a pleasure to go to work every single day. Everything was tight, all the prices were buttoned up, the recipes were genius. We went to work and laughed every day, all day long and just had a great time.

How do you create a money saving meal?
The first thing you need to do is figure out what your show theme is going to be. So if we're going to do all German food – what is the most popular German food that people like to make in the United States? And then we'll kind of break that down. We'll come up with recipes for that. For instance, we made spaetzle – which are basically dumplings. And what we did is we took the batter, and you need a big pot of boiling water. Then we took a colander – like a colander you use to shake out pasta. We put the colander above the boiling pot of water and you take the batter and pour it in, then you push it through and it makes these perfect, little, delicate, raindrop dumplings. And it cooks up in two minutes. Then you put them in a pan with a little bit of butter and they're genius. They're inexpensive and they're delicious.

It sounds like I could do it.
It's just, the recipes this season are the best I've ever done. The best I've ever eaten.

What's your favorite part of the show?
Do I dare I say cocktail time?

Please say cocktail time.
Well, we have two every single money saving show. One's a "mocktail." Drink responsibly! But it's something that the kids can practice their toasts -- you know, when they grow up? Being able to deliver a really beautiful toast is an art. Teaching them young what they are happy for, what they're grateful for, is fun. So the kids get to partake. The mocktail always come first – and they range from 30 cents to 50 cents a piece. And then [for] the cocktails, you normally add for say vodka or gin 43 cents. For a dark rum, it's 54 cents.

You can drink responsibly and inexpensively.
That's right. Stay at home. No driving.

What's your favorite cocktail?
Tough question. My favorite cocktail I ever had – I just had it. Down in Miami at the food and wine festival, we were out to dinner at a restaurant and this woman had a strawberry grass martini. It was unbelievable.
If you could cook for anyone, who would it be?
Cher.

What would you make for Cher?
I think she'd like the spaetzle. And a big cocktail.

Any last thoughts?
'Semi-Homemade' is coming back this fall, too. Look for the relaunch of that.

I somewhat agree with that. They do have a few good shows but there is a very limeted choice for a good show on there. I watch America's Next Dance Crew. It's ok. Not like I'm crazy for any of the shows on there. I just like elimination challenges and they dance to some good songs like Lady Gaga. (OK she only has a few that don't make you want to vomit.)

OMG, this "Semi homemade" woman should be kicked off tv. All she uses are processed foods and she carries on like she's the smartest ever! The show is ridiculous!I realize many people don't know how to cook, but this is the most terrible concept ever!!!!! How about teaching people REAL food concepts with nutrition in mind? All she presents are chemicals, preservatives, additives and unhealthful ingredients. Food Network should be ashamed of sponsoring programs like this.People only eat what they know and how will this country ever get healthier until we show them "real" food, starting with kids who are fed McDonald's and nuked food from the get go. If you teach kids to eat well, they will.... slowly but it will change.

I am not a fan of Sandra Lee.....I have tried a few of her recipes (from the Food Network site) and not one of them have turned out right. I am not the only one who has had that same experience with her recipes. While I am a fan of fast and easy meals...when things do not turn out then that is a waste of time, money and food...and now days I cannot afford waste! I have no plans to watch her show anymore and for those that do...well, I hope those recipes work better for those who try them this next season!!!!

why do people think that it is ok to be nasty!!!! i like sandra for the nice person that she is maybe you nasty people should do your homework before you say stuff about people you dont even know . keep up the great work sandra. oh by the way it might be the cook instead of the recipe have you thought about that.

To even insinuate this woman is a chef is an absolute insult to the profession! I hate all of them Rachel Ray, Paula Deen the whole housewife food network! they all need to go back to there homes and shut the hell up and leave the cooking to the professionals!

Uhh... I don't know if you realized this, (And yes I'm trying to put this nicely, and yes it is hard to do since I am totally ticked off!) you just said to practicly all the famous women chefs to go home. I don't know if you meant it but if you did then you are also a Piggie thinking that men can do all the work. Ladies in today's society aren't really delecate at all. I used to play soccer when I was a kid and I was the scrawniest girl on my team so of course the other team aimed the pushes, elbows, and collisions at me. I got injured a lot but I kept playing. That's your proof that girls shouldn't be underestimated!

To you good folks who don't like Sandra Lee, Paula Deen. Rachel Ray and all the other good folks at foodnetwork Turn off the TV or find something else!!This Food show is for those of us who lke a good challenge in cooking once in a while! I love to cook and have tried some of the recipes and some turn out some do not! So what at least I try! Joanne